Natural Essence
by she who laughs
Summary: Ingredients: 1 cup of love, half a cup of psychotic madmen, and -2 cups of sensitive women. What does it give you? Natural Essence.
1. Hate

DISCLAIMER: Ok sue me if you want but I don't get what the point is. Obviously I don't own Harry Potter.  
  
The sun blushed through a face of sheer white clouds, the trees singing their gentle morning song. The leaves swayed, and scattered their autumn beauty on the plentiful green grass. The night that had past had seemed utterly forgotten, apart from the few visible specks of light still twinkling back at a great stone castle and its nature-sprinkled grounds. No one was awake. Not one person or creature. That is, if you exclude Harry Potter.  
  
Harry had been up for quite some time now, watching the mouse make its rounds acround the clock. He found it hard to sleep, as if he had some sort of insomnia. He'd been stressed ever since the death of Sirius Black, and the horrifying night kept being repeated in his dreams-- or rather, nightmares.  
  
Hermione and Ron had told him that he needed rest. Harry believed them. But he couldn't. Something was holding him back. Something paranormal, something(strange. He'd never felt this way before.  
Scratch that. He had felt this way before. The night he had envisioned himself as a snake, biting Arthur Weasley. It felt as if he were being controlled.  
  
But it couldn't be Voldemort. . . Could it? No.  
  
Harry had spent hours pondering over this mindless puzzle. He recalled the previous day's events, but it made no sense. He grew frustrated and tried to relax, only to remember with a grunt that he couldn't sleep.  
  
The others had been sleeping all night. Harry envied them. Ron, Seamus, Dean, Neville.  
Maybe not Neville.  
  
"Harry!" A voice pestered him, and Harry started to ignore the voice, until he realized that he'd fallen asleep. He opened his eyes to see a pair of deep blue eyes staring into his. He jumped back a foot after realizing that the eyes belonged to no other but Luna Lovegood.  
  
"Luna, this really isn't a good time. . ." Harry struggled to cover his bedclothes.  
  
"You fell asleep," Luna cooed.  
  
"No, really?" Harry replied, sarcastically. "How'd you get into Gryffindor Tower anyway?"  
  
Luna smiled. "The door was open."  
  
Harry looked puzzled. "What?"  
  
They walked over to the portrait-hole, and sure enough, the portrait was hanging open. Anyone could have walked in. Luna grinned, and her blonde hair fell in her eyes. Harry noticed for the first time, the two dimples on her tanned cheeks that were stained in a shade of rose. He smiled awkwardly back at her, and quickly realized what he was doing. He turned away from her and sat on the carpet.  
  
"Whatcha doin?" Luna walked over and leaned on his shoulder.  
  
"Luna! Get off of me!" Harry moved to another side of the room. "And, to answer your question, it's really none of your business."  
  
Luna glanced at the diagrams and drawings on the parchment in front of him. "I know the answer."  
  
Harry looked up at her, and again she gave him the heart-piercing grin she'd given him only moments before.  
  
Harry chose to ignore her. Maybe she'd shut up.  
  
"Harry, I know the answer!" Luna saw that he was going to ignore her once again, and she walked over to the window and looked out onto the early morning. "You know, if you didn't like me, you could've at least told me."  
  
And with that, she walked out the common-room door before Harry could say a word.  
  
Really, it wasn't that Harry didn't like her. It was that she was. . . Well, she was strange. If word got out that he were friends with "Loony Lovegood", his popularity would drop to an all-time low. Draco Malfoy would make fun of him more than ever, and he'd lose all chances of ever dating Cho Chang. Not that popularity ever meant much to him. It's just that, when you're already famous, and something bad happens, it's not as it would be to anyone else. Anyone normal. When you're Harry Potter, you go from being inhumanly loved, to inhumanly hated. He guessed that was all his life would go through. Love, hate, love, hate. 


	2. Confusion

Chapter Two  
  
"Harry, you're not eating," Hermione's concerned face watched him as Harry raised his head from the table.  
  
"I know," He replied. He didn't have much else to say. The early morning had seemed a blur to him. He didn't know what had hit him then, with Luna. He'd completely forgotten everything else that had been bugging him, and all he could think of was her.  
  
"Yeah, we've got a game today, remember?" Ron grinned. "If we're gonna kill the Ravenclaw team, you gotta have your strength!"  
  
"I'm not hungry,"  
  
"C'mon Harry."  
  
"I'M NOT HUNGRY!" Harry crashed his fork on the table and stomped up the stairs, leaving Hermione and Ron at the table, all of Hogwarts staring at them. He didn't know what had irritated him.  
  
***  
  
"Harry, this is silly--"  
  
"Yeah, c'mon down to Hogsmeade--"  
  
"It'll do you some good to get outside!"  
  
"Please, Harry."  
  
They'd been at it for about a half-an-hour, and Harry couldn't stand it anymore. He fixed his hair and slipped out the door. Hermione jumped with glee and Ron chuckled.  
  
"Knew we'd get to ya sometime," He laughed as Harry nodded in return.  
  
The trio walked out of the portrait-hole and into the Great Hall. The hall was cleared now, as most had already left for Hogsmeade. Only one person stood in the center.  
  
"Keep walking," Harry whispered, and hesitated as he passed Cho Chang. He blushed. Why did he have to blush?!  
  
"You still like that prat of a girl?" Hermione glanced back as they passed through the double-doors and out onto the autumn-coated grounds.  
  
". . . No. . ." Harry paused. Really, he didn't. He just felt uncomfortable around her. Okay, maybe he did, a little.  
  
"He's lying," Ron told her, "and I don't blame him for liking her. She's hot!"  
  
"Ron!" Hermione shouted, and Ron suddenly appeared to be very scared. "How could you be so shallow?!"  
  
"Just kidding!" Ron pleaded, although Harry could tell that he was most certainly not 'just kidding'.  
  
They climbed into the carriage that had parked in front of them, and Harry recalled his experiences with thestrals, the horse/reptile-like creatures pulling it. He smiled at the thought of Luna being there, and soon corrected himself.  
  
***  
  
"Well, here we are." Hermione stepped lively onto the cobblestone street. Harry and Ron joined her. "Where should we go?"  
  
"Let's go get a butterbeer," Harry suggested, and Ron nodded in return. They walked past the many other Hogwarts students, and other. . . creatures on the streets. Harry smiled with relief that he hadn't seen Luna, and together they walked into the Three Broomsticks.  
  
A young waiter came to their wooden table. "How may I help you?" Hermione smiled and asked for three butterbeers, while Ron and Harry discussed their Quidditch tactics for the game later that day.  
  
"We need you to block today, more than you ever have," Harry leaned his elbow on the table, and Ron seemed intensely interested. Hermione was looking around the place, and rolled her eyes at what she saw.  
  
"Oh no," Hermione moaned. "Here she comes."  
  
Harry didn't have to ask who.  
"Hi, Harry," The same pair of stunningly gorgeous azure eyes met his. He found it hard to stare into them, as if they were judging him. He was falling into them, into beautiful pools of sapphire.  
  
Luna smiled and whipped around, her perfect blonde hair flying in the air, as she walked back to her table, where next to her sat Neville. Harry felt a pang of jealousy hit his heart.  
  
As soon as she was out of ear-shot, Ron burst out laughing. "What was that about?!" Harry wished he could laugh along, pretend it was all a joke. But, fact was, it wasn't. He watched her chatting away with that git, that bloody fake.  
  
"I can't stand her," Hermione told them, "she's so annoying, and she never leaves me alone."  
  
"You're talking," Ron replied. "Heh, Harry, remember last year? She was so clingy. . ."  
  
Harry suddenly became aware that they were talking about Luna.  
  
"Well, I suppose so--"  
  
"See? He agrees!" Ron burst into laughter once again, although this time Hermione didn't laugh either. She leaned across the table and whispered into Harry's ear, "I think he had a tad too much butterbeer." Harry grinned.  
  
It felt like they'd been in that spot for hours, talking of school assignments and formals, what they were planning for the holidays. Harry. . . Harry. . . a voice in his head rang repetively. Harry. . .  
  
"HARRY!!" Ron bellowed, and he woke up from his temporary sleep. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Yeah, you seem a bit. . ." Hermione peered at him, ". . .out of it."  
  
"Oh yeah, I'm just a little tired, that's all," Harry shrugged.  
  
"Harry, you know you can tell us if it's. well, You-Know-Who."  
  
"Wha?- no!" Harry laughed, until he felt a tug at the collar of his shirt. He looked at Hermione, who had her left eyebrow raised. He heard a whisper in his ear.  
"Come with me," Luna's voice spoke calmly with no hesitation. Harry looked questionably at Ron, then got up awkwardly and followed the wisp of hair of which he could see.  
  
Luna walked into an empty hall, and opened a stone door with an odd- shaped key. Harry noticed it was inscribed upon, but he couldn't read it from his angle. They entered the room, which was circular, with a chair on the far right side, and a teal carpet on the floor. On the walls were paintings of fruit, all types of fruit.  
At last, Luna spoke.  
  
"Look, you and I both know something," She spoke, and Harry watched her crimson-colored lips.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yes, or at least I do."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"I owe you something."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For you taking me to the Department of Mysteries,"  
  
"No, really, it's okay--" But Harry was interrupted.  
  
The door closed and he was the only one left in the room. He could taste a hint of cinnamon-flavored lip gloss sitting gently upon his lips. 


	3. Desire

Chapter 3  
  
"Mr. Potter,"  
  
"Mr. Potter!" Harry's eyes flipped open as Professor McGonagall scowled at him. "Dazing off again, I see,"  
  
He rubbed his eyes and looked at a large silver board, where McGonagall had words appearing constantly. He picked up his glasses, which he had apparently taken off, and put them back on his nosebridge. The room came into focus.  
  
"Now, Mr. Potter, I believe you are well enough to tell me what we are learning this year?" McGonagall peered at him through her spectacles. Harry hated it when she did that.  
  
"Er. . ." Harry looked at Ron, who mouthed a word, and then returned his gaze to McGonagall and said matter-of-factly, "apparating."  
  
"One point to Gryffindor, for Mr. Weasley's attentiveness. Next time, Mr. Potter, I believe we've cleared that you are to pay attention?" Harry nodded in return to this remark.  
  
Professor McGonagall went on for quite a while talking about apparating, but Harry and Ron made good use of it. They played Quidditch with a small crumpled paper which they'd enchanted. They sat in the back, so McGonagall didn't notice. Harry looked around the room, and was suddenly very thankful he was a sixth-year Gryffindor, because Luna was a fifth-year Ravenclaw and had none of the same classes with him until astronomy.  
  
The bell rang for class to end. Hermione waited for them at the door, and the trio walked into the brightly lit hallway. They walked for a moment, and Ron was the first to speak.  
  
"Er, Hermione, you got a letter. . ." Hermione's face brightened.  
  
"From who?"  
  
Ron hesitated, trying to contain himself. "Fr-from. . . from. . ."  
  
But Hermione was growing impatient. "Don't be silly, Ron, just tell me!"  
  
Ron didn't bother to contain himself anymore. "WHO ELSE BUT KRUM!!" He took a different turn, leaving Hermione and Harry alone.  
  
"Sorry," Harry didn't know why, but he felt he had to apologize.  
  
"It's okay, I'm used to it," Hermione sighed. "I just hate it when he talks bad about him,"  
  
Harry couldn't help but think truly what a hypocrit she was. She talked rudely about Luna all the time.  
  
"You know, Hermione, he really can't help it," Harry's voice cracked.  
  
"Of course he can!" Hermione's eyes twinkled in the light. "What would you know about it anyway, you've never been in love or anything,"  
  
Harry was about to speak up when Hermione corrected herself. "Besides Cho Chang, but Harry, that was just a crush!" Harry couldn't help but agree with her on that part. But she didn't know about Luna.  
  
"Maybe, but I've been through a lot of other things,"  
  
". . . which we always helped you with," Hermione meant this with good conscience, but Harry blew his top again.  
  
"I THOUGHT WE CLARIFIED THIS LAST YEAR! WHO SAVED THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE?! ME! WHO RESCUED GINNY FROM THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS? ME! EVERYTHING WAS DONE BY ME, HERMIONE! THE DEMENTORS, THE TOURNAMENT-- DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE I WANTED TO DO THOSE THINGS?! DO YOU?! DO YOU TRULY THINK THAT I WANTED TO WATCH MY OWN GODFATHER DIE?! DO YOU, HERMIONE?!" Harry finally stopped to take a breath, and Hermione looked as if she were about to break out in tears, not unlike the last time Harry had done this.  
  
"H-Harry, I-I didn't think--"  
  
"Yeah, Hermione, you didn't think!" Then, like Ron, Harry marched up the stairway, leaving Hermione's tear-stained face.  
  
***  
  
A knock on the door.  
  
"Go away," Harry mumbled.  
  
"I can tell you're busy, so I guess I'd better leave," It was a crisp, clean, calm voice, none like Hermione's. He walked over to the round door and Hagrid laughed behind him. The door swung open, to reveal Luna, only. . . not Luna.  
  
Hagrid spat out his tea.  
  
Luna was wearing a dark blue hooded cape which blended perfectly with the night. Her eyes looked as if a glitter lied upon them. Her face didn't have a flaw in it, not anywhere. Her skin was perfect and untouched, blushing in a shade of rosy red next to her tan. Her silver-blonde hair had grown out, to her upper mid-back. Harry was speechless, and he stepped aside for her to enter the hut in which he'd been hiding in.  
  
"So, Luna. . ." Hagrid began, but he couldn't speak any longer.  
  
"Hello, Harry," She grinned and showed unmistakenably white teeth. She sat down and made herself a cup of tea, and another of Hagrid. She smiled at Harry's confusion.  
  
"Here's what happened," Luna began (the term "Looney Lovegood" definitely didn't apply anymore), "you see, Neville and I went to visit his grandmother shortly after I saw you. She is a wonderful creator. She did this," She motioned around her body, which had thinned. "She figured you would take it like this, it did for Neville too,"  
  
Harry's anger was growing with deep hatred for Neville Longbottom. He didn't deserve her!  
  
Hagrid was lost. He obviously didn't get how any of this had to do with Harry.  
  
"Admit it, Harry, you're completely taken off your feet by me," Luna looked him in the eye. "You've liked me for a while now, ever since the day in Gryffindor Tower. You're just too afraid, aren't you?"  
  
After a moment, Harry nodded, and Hagrid's laugh bellowed out.  
  
"Harry?! Like Looney Lovegood?! Nonsense!" He chuckled, and Luna's face grew long, and her eyes teary.  
  
"Hagrid," Luna began once again, fighting not to cry, "just because I'm different. . ."  
  
"HARRY AND LOONEY LOVEGOOD! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Hagrid slapped his knee and laughed even more.  
  
Luna was having a hard time now, and she kissed Harry's cheek and ran out into the moonlight.  
  
Harry glared at Hagrid, who suddenly stopped laughing.  
  
"What have you done?! You--" But he couldn't think of anything else to say, he was too frustrated. He ran out the door to try and catch up with Luna.  
  
He found footprints in the leaves, all of them leading to the Forbidden Forest. "Oh no. . ." He thought.  
  
He ran through the forest, trees batting at him, and strange sounds all around him. Harry soon came to a clearing, where a small pool of water lied. Luna was crumpled up next to it, leaning into a tree trunk covered with moss. She was crying deeply. For the first time in his life, Harry felt sorry for her.  
  
"Luna," Harry whispered, and she looked up at him.  
  
"Why did you follow me?" Her face was touched by trails of silver, her tears. "I didn't want you to."  
  
Harry nodded. "I know you didn't, but I was worried,"  
  
Luna rolled her eyes and fiddled her finger in the puddle. It began to make shapes and Harry was sure that it wasn't good. He grabbed her hand and ran with her deeper into the forest. They reached yet another clearing, there was a circle of trees and the moonlight shining down. Luna and Harry sat down and panted for a moment, then Harry looked into her eyes. They were so innocent. What had she done to anyone to make them hate her so much?  
  
He remembered last year's train ride to Hogwarts. Even he had been annoyed with her. But, why?  
  
"Luna, you know Hagrid, his mind. . . it's just a bag of fluff, really," Harry tried to talk to her.  
  
"No, Harry, it's not. He's right," He could tell she was telling the truth, how she really felt.  
  
"No, no, no! Not at all." Harry hated to see her like this. "I don't think you're strange. You're different, yes, but-" Harry pulled her face towards his so that their noses were exactly touching and he ran his fingers through her hair. "-that's what I love about you."  
  
Luna smiled, and Harry wished that moment could last forever.  
  
"We'd better head back," She whispered. Harry nodded in return, and the two walked hand-in-hand out of the forest, and nothing could stop them.  
  
The doors opened to the Great Hall, and they walked in to everyone eating dinner. Their hands broke apart and Luna walked to the Ravenclaw table, clearing stunning all of the boys in that house permanently. Harry sat next to Hermione and Ron, who whistled. "Who's that girl, and is she single?" Harry began to open his mouth to answer, but Hermione cut him off.  
  
"Luna Lovegood." 


	4. Cruelty

Chapter 4  
  
Harry'd been following her around for days but for some reason, Luna seemed to be ignoring him. He whisked behind her in the Three Broomsticks, followed her into the Forbidden Forest, but each time she only gave him a glazed stare. He didn't understand, what had he done wrong?  
  
"Don't be like that. . ." Hermione had been quite frustrated since she found out about Harry's new relationship. "You know Luna. She's pitifully stupid, and she'll come back to you eventually." Harry was too confused to blow his top over this one.  
  
In a way, Harry supposed Hermione was just saying that to cheer him up. But on the other hand, he recalled several events of the same circumstance, and for some reason, it never worked.  
  
He had tried to talk to Ron.  
  
"Hi," Harry grinned. "Want to go to watch the Quidditch game real quick? I don't have much time,"  
  
Ron was disgusted. "You never have time, Harry!"  
  
Harry was confused, and Ron continued. "You've gone looney over Looney Lovegood!" He shook his head. "I really miss the memories. The days when our trio actually meant something. But I guess that's all they are," Ron sighed with somewhat of a laugh, although he wasn't smiling. "Memories."  
  
He hadn't talked to him since then, and Harry was lost.  
  
Harry laid on his four-poster bed, listening to the whispering wind and the song of the trees. He had a long day ahead, the Gryffindor team was playing Slytherin, and he wasn't about to let Malfoy make a fool of him. Especially if Luna was there, and he guessed she would be.  
  
He fiddled with his fingers, and finally decided to go back to sleep.  
  
"I love you, Harry."  
  
Luna's voice rang in his head. He pictured her face, her old face. Her real face. Not the made-up Luna he'd seen the other night. Before now, he would've believed Luna to need serious help. But finally, he actually knew her. He wasn't judging her by her looks, or by her father and The Quibbler. It felt wonderful, but she had changed, and Harry hated it.  
  
***  
  
Harry's eyes flipped open.  
  
"Harry, there's something you need to know."  
  
He rolled out of bed and put on his clothes for the day, and looked up at Ron. His face was gloomy, pale, and strangely, white. Harry'd never seen Ron's face not rosy and warm. He didn't like it, it made him feel awkward, and uncomfortable.  
  
"Yeah, what'd you want to tell me?" Harry stood up so that his eyes were level with Ron's.  
  
Ron didn't speak at first, and when he did, it didn't sound like him. "Luna Lovegood. Harry. . . she's not here."  
  
Harry didn't believe him. It didn't make sense, and he couldn't comprehend it.  
  
"She's gone, Harry." Why was Ron talking to him like this? How could he lie when he knew Luna was here? "Dumbledore reported it today at breakfast. You slept in, but he said that Lovegood went to the forest, that there's no hope for her,"  
  
Harry couldn't handle it. Luna, she couldn't possibly have run away. She couldn't have. No. . . never. But Harry had to say something.  
  
"Isn't someone going to go after her?!" Harry felt his fists tighten. That dimwit Hagrid, it all started with him. Or maybe. . . it all started with himself. Harry had judged her ever since the day he met her. He had laughed at her with Ron and Hermione. He had never said he liked her, not until she changed.  
  
He felt it again. Like he was being controlled. What was happening to him? It was like his envisions of the Department of Mysteries.  
  
Voldemort had taken it, taken it to his heart. But at this point, Harry didn't care. Voldemort was probably doing this to him, to try and get him to go to the forest, so that he could kill him. Or try to kill him. But either way, he could have Luna too.  
  
"I'm going," Harry spoke, and for the first time, he felt he didn't trust Ron.  
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Harry stepped back, and Ron simply smiled, and his gloominess continued. It wasn't Ron. It couldn't be. Suddenly, Harry noticed something. Ron's hair was turning black, and his face was becoming very greasy. It was the shape of a rat's now, and at Harry's confused look, 'Ron' ran to the floor-long mirror and screamed.  
  
It was Wormtail.  
  
Harry could hear him mumbling as he ran away. "Bloody Polyjuice Potion. . ."  
  
He had been tricked, and his mind was gone. Where was Ron? Had Luna really gone to the forest? He had to find out for sure, and be more cautious when talking to people around the castle.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione ran through the door. Harry peered at her, and realized with a relief that she was herself. "Where's Ron?! I can't find him anywhere!"  
  
Harry felt a pierce through his heart.  
  
"Voldemort."  
  
"Voldemort?!" Hermione was in despair. "What on earth are you talking about? He didn't. . . take Ron. . . did he?"  
  
Harry found that he couldn't answer that question. He was subconscious, in a way. He knew that Voldemort was tricking him, yet his heart didn't care. He knew he should have taken Occlumency with Snape.  
  
He ran away, leaving Hermione in the boys dormitory, speechless.  
  
His mind was playing games. It couldn't be true. He didn't know what was true anymore, come to think of it.  
  
Why did everything bad in the world have to happen to him? He was sure the entire school always planned on him saving the day. This was just another day like that, and it wouldn't mean much to anyone. It burned throughout his body to think about this. He didn't want to think it. Harry knew he was being selfish. He was always selfish. He had to be the hero. But if he knew what he was doing wrong, why was it so hard to fix it?  
  
A scream. Luna.  
  
"Crucio!" The spell rang through his ears, and he knew he couldn't handle having Luna in such a horrible circumstance. That is, until he realized that it wasn't her under the curse. It was himself.  
  
*** 


	5. Loss

Ch 5  
The feeling was unbearable. It was like. . . actually, it was like nothing he could put into words. It was completely unbearable pain that murdered his body, and his brain. He thought for sure he was being abused, but in perhaps one of the worst ways possible.  
  
He looked up to try and see who was aiming the spell at him, perhaps to mumble a countercurse, but his eyes were out of focus. The room was blurry, and there was no trace of his consciousness.  
  
He tried to breathe normally but it just wasn't working. Visions kept flying through his head; the day he met Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, his very best friends. In the Three Broomsticks where Luna Lovegood first kissed him. That green flash of light, the only thing he could recollect from the night his parents died. He didn't know if he could stand it anymore. He thought of the fight he got in with Ron. This pain. . . it was terrible. It was killing him, literally. He immediately felt sorrow for Neville's parents, now having known what they went through. He stopped breathing. He didn't know why, but he felt something had blocked his air supply. Or maybe he was imagining it.  
  
Immediately, more visions. The teary kiss from Cho Chang. The expression on Ron's face when he saw Hermione, all dressed up for the Yule Ball, dancing with his all-time favorite Quidditch player, Viktor Krum.  
  
For the first time in years, he felt the deceiving and painful grip of tears upon his eyes. It seized him, and within moments, he was weeping on the floor. Nothing mattered anymore. He remembered a time when he had believed there were stars that granted wishes. Now the stars were gone- and there were no more dreams worth wishing for.  
  
Painful stabs grabbed at his heart. He couldn't hear it beating. He believed he had fell unconscious, or perhaps insane. Harry wondered if crazy people ever thought about whether or not they were deranged. Probably not.  
  
All of the mistakes in his life, all seemed useless. Whoever thought that you could possibly learn from them obviously had no brain.  
  
He doubted he would live anyway. 


	6. Gone

"Nothing! Nothing! Absolutely nothing!" A glass containing a white creamy substance shattered to the floor-the same floor that had seen death, torture, pain. The very carpet that had felt abuse of a delicate body fall upon its shoulders was now corrupted. . .again. But the face was not the same.  
  
***  
  
"You need to get over him," A casual voice spoke gently through a torn ear. "He's obviously crazy."  
  
"Yeah, I heard Justin say that he was down by the dock, just muttering to himself!"  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised,"  
  
"DO YOU EVER SHUT UP?!" Luna's eyebrows were frozen in anger. Her make-up had worn off, and she hadn't slept for two days. Every night she could be found at the Owlery, just waiting for a note. Some excuse. Anything.  
  
The morning sun was just shining through the windows in the Great Hall, where most students had finished their assorted breakfasts. Luna, however, had no interest in eating at the moment. Her crystal-like eyes drifted to a corner of the room, and she soon found her feet wondering toward a black-haired boy, sitting with his two best friends at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Hi," Ron said. "Harry isn't feeling too well right now. Don't think he wants to talk."  
  
"I just wanted to ask him about what happened back there," Luna smiled. "And I don't believe it's your place to tell me whether or not he would like to speak to me."  
  
Hermione was about to say something, when Harry got up and gestured to the balcony that hung gently over the lake. "Meet me there in five."  
  
Luna walked over to the Ravenclaw table. Her friends were laughing about her boyfriend. She turned away and visited the Hufflepuffs. They, too, had heard the rumors. Slytherin? Of course they had. They made a joke of him even when there was nothing to joke about. So she walked slowly to the balcony and looked at the water. In a way, she doubted Harry would come talk to her.  
  
But he did.  
"Hey,"  
  
"Hi," Luna replied, solemnly. She was no longer made up.  
  
"So you wanted to talk?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And. . .?"  
  
A pause. Luna circulated to the opposite side and turned her face away. "What happened last night?"  
  
"I walked."  
  
"Be serious, Harry."  
  
"I went to find you. I knew we had a date that night and also Ron said. . . never mind. It doesn't matter. I. . . I went for a ride on my Firebolt."  
  
"A ride on your broom?!"  
  
"Er. . . yes."  
  
"You're lying." Luna could hear the tenseness in his voice. Had he been out with another girl? "Harry, you know you can tell me anything."  
  
"That's it, Luna, I can't! You don't know how it feels! You don't know what's going through my mind! You haven't got a trace of a clue what is about to happen to this school! And the worse part is, I'm the only one who does! So think, for once before you start accusing me of lying!" He was sweating.  
  
"Something bad is about to happen?" Luna was concerned. Harry never had acted like this around her before. What had happened last night?  
  
"Yeah, but you wouldn't care. It's not environmental, or about Sirius being a rockstar or anything."  
  
"Of course I'd care. If something happened to you, it would hurt me like nothing had ever before."  
  
"Yeah right!"  
  
"Harry, you have to know this. I love you."  
  
"Well. . . I can't make that promise."  
  
Luna's eyes burned. It felt as if someone had just yanked all of the tears out, because she couldn't cry, no matter how much she wanted to.  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
"Is it Hermione?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then what is it?"  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"You don't want me to get hurt."  
  
Another long pause and Luna witnessed all the earth go by. The angels sung, the water rippled, the trees flew gracefully in the wind. The animals came out of the forest, had their young, and went back in. The birds whistled. But Harry made no movement or sound.  
  
"No, Luna, I don't."  
  
"I understand. It's okay. Well. . . see you around."  
  
Luna left, just like that. Harry stayed and watched the stars. It was over. It was all over. She would probably never kiss him again. Never.  
  
*** 


	7. Enemies

Harry, his scar hurting like mad, stared out of the Gryffindor window. It was some form of glass. Not stained glass, for it wasn't colored, nor your ordinary house glass. It must've been a magical kind that only Hogwarts knew of or something... The black-haired boy just decided to stop thinking about it. But putting off the 'glass' subject brought upon an even worse train of thought.  
  
Luna.  
  
Why, she wouldn't leave him alone! Whether it was in the halls or in his mind. He could picture her now – her golden blonde hair, her slightly tan skin, her silver-blue eyes... Not the prettiest thing in the world, but Harry loved her for some odd reason.  
  
And for the same reason did he loathe her. She had ruined his life. Not only did his best friends for the most part abandon him, but he kept failing his tests because he couldn't think of anything but Luna Lovegood.  
  
He remembered back to a few weeks before, when Luna had come to Hagrid's hut, and Harry's jaw had dropped in her change. He had no idea what had possessed her mind to do such a thing, really... Well, he did have a hair of an idea, but of course it couldn't be his fault! He'd never said a thing to the girl about her appearance!  
  
But it wasn't as if he hadn't implied it all the same. Harry sighed and looked down at the field, where he and his two best friends had scuttled along more than once in his invisibility cloak that he'd inherited from his father... and the rest of the Marauders.  
  
"Harry?" He heard a female voice that made him jump. But, calming down, Harry turned and saw that it was only Parvati Patil. That spoiled brat that so often made fun of Luna. "Is that you? Are you alone?"  
  
"Of course I'm alone," Harry replied coldly, clearly annoyed and not wanting to be spoken to. "What were you expecting? Luna?" He had been talked about far too much this year, and he was sick of it. Parvati seemed to be terrified, her face all white.  
  
"S-sorry," Parvati replied, and swiped a brown hair out of her eyes, placing it delicately behind her ears. "I didn't realize that you were indisposed." She closed her eyes and was about to walk away when Harry looked down and snorted.  
  
"They're bloody flannel pants!" Harry fumed, nearly laughing but still angry all the same. "It's not like I'm wearing nothing but a pair of underwear!"  
  
Parvati returned and sighed. "Okay, sorry," she looked at his scar, clearly exposed in the moonlight. "I saw Luna crying today... did something happen?"  
  
Oh, that girl just didn't know when to stop. She was really picking a nerve now. As if he would have made her cry!  
  
Well... maybe a little.  
  
"Why should you care if she was crying?" He shot at her, cruelty in his eyes. Normally Harry wasn't this moody... it just happened sometimes. "You're never sensitive for Luna. You spend half of your year just making fun of her."  
  
Parvati raised her eyebrows and took a seat next to him. "Harry, you need to relax. She's your girlfriend—"but Harry cut her off.  
  
"She's not my girlfriend," he said childishly.  
  
"Whatever. You have somewhat of a relationship, however weird and gross it may be. She depends on you, and something must have happened to make her so depressed that she wept," Parvati. Oh, Parvati. Always finding a way to turn things negatively. "She tried to talk to me, but I walked away because she sneezed on my night gown."  
  
Harry looked up. What a prude!  
  
Suddenly the two heard a whack! on the door. It wasn't a knock. Oh, no.  
  
It was a knife slashing away at the door.  
  
"Wh-who is it?" Parvati asked nervously, crawling up by Harry's side. "Go away!"  
  
Harry held her close, however much he despised the girl, and hugged her for comfort. She was shaking, and he had to admit, it must have been terrible to be a girl. Always scared of everything.  
  
He stood up and took out his wand. "Go upstairs," he whispered to Parvati. "I'll stay here."  
  
As the sandy-haired girl ran quietly up the stairs to the girls dormitory, Harry approached the door, leaning against it. "What do you want?" He muttered under his breath. Not knowing what to do, he opened the door and gasped. He'd been expecting Luna, for some reason. But it wasn't she.  
  
"Hello," a man at the door said. He had dark hair and a dark complexion – Harry could tell that he was Arabic. His English, however, was quite good. "G'day, Harry Potter."  
  
Harry shook his head and held up his wand. He'd defeated the Dark Lord many times, surely he could handle this pushover. "Who the bloody hell are you?" He had to sustain a chuckle.  
  
"I," the man said, grinning in an amateur evil sort of way. "Am Aban Hakam – Lord Voldemort's most trusted advisor."  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows unsurely. "But... that's Wormtail,"  
  
Hakam shook his head. "Was Wormtail," he raised his wand as well, mimicking Harry. "He's dead now."  
  
Harry didn't understand. He never could. These villains just didn't understand, did they?  
  
He raised his wand all the same. "What do you want?"  
  
Hakam smiled grimly. "Your mind,"  
  
Harry laughed unsurely. "Sure..."  
  
"Sure?"  
  
"It means you're crazy,"  
  
"Oh, in that case..." Hakam raised his wand and aimed a Tickling Charm on the boy. "Tell me where your mind is."  
  
Was this man mad?! Well, of course he was, if he was working for Voldemort. But honestly, his mind?! "In my head!" Harry managed to squeal between gulps of laughter, writhing on the floor. "Where... else... would it be?!"  
  
Hakam smiled once more. "Not your brain," he said, chuckling at Harry's pain. "Where does your mind lie?"  
  
Harry was about to say 'Luna,' but luckily managed to stop himself. "Uh, the glass," Hakam darted immediately, and the spell broke. Harry was free.  
  
((I'll write more later... my hands hurt... r&r so far)) 


	8. Continuation

What was someone supposed to do when encountered by an Arabic Death Eater with a good range of magical knowing? Nothing. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived – and luckily kept on living, finally gave up. He didn't feel like dueling, but ironically was in the mood for riddles. Thoughts of Luna ran through his mind, making the boy even more irritated. Why, she'd already made everyone else hate him, why did she have to invade his mind as well?! It was his only place where he could be alone!

"Well, Mr. Potter," the Arabic man said, his tongue clicking on his top teeth. Aban's lip was more narrow than any that Harry had seen, it was like he'd gotten into a fight with the dental hygienists and... well, the dentists had a bit of difficulty getting to his teeth. "We meet again."

This man was good – almost too good for Harry's liking. "Again? I think I would've remembered a slob such as yourself," he spat out, annoyed more than he could put into words or thought.

Aban didn't like this comment much, apparently. "Why don't you keep your mouth shut, Potter?"

"Don't really like to do that," Harry confessed, a grin on his face, eyebrows raised. "Talking keeps my mind off of you."

SLAM! Harry's attention was drawn to the door. And who had he been expecting this time? Voldemort.

Fortunately, his expectations had been wrong. It was none other than the teary-eyed Luna Lovegood, her face red with annoyance, embarrassment and sadness. "Harry Potter, you two-faced jerk – _what's going on?!"_ Her face went blank as she looked back and forth from Aban to Harry twice over.

"Not much time to explain," he muttered quickly, his eyes remaining on the Arab.


End file.
